Cable-reel.



No. 779,612. PATENTED JAN. 10, 1905. 0. W. LARSON.

CABLE REEL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, 1903.

Z SHEETS-SHEET l.

Witnesses: Wm lnOenUO flb. Carl \ML arson,

No. 779,612. PATENTED JAN. 10, 1905. 0. W. LARSON. CABLE REEL.APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1. 1903.

' {SHEETS-SHEET 2.

How. L W

' UNITED STATES Patented January 10,1305

PATENT OFFICE.

CARL W. LARSON, OF SCHENECTADY, EW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL )LEOTRIOCOMPANY, A COR ORATION OF NEW YORK.

CABLE-REEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,612, dated JanuarylO, 1905. Application filed June 1, 1903. Serial No} 159,421.

To all wit/1722, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL W. LARSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Cable-Reels, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction of an improved form ofmechanism for reeling and unreeling cable or the like.

In the particular embodiment of my invention which I have hereinafterillustrated and described my invention is applied to an electricmine-locomotive, although it will be obvious that all of the features ofmy invention are not limited to such application.

As is well known, the use of electric locomotives provided with someform of the familiar overhead under-running trolley for the hauling ofcoal or the like in the main entries or branch headings of mines isquite extensive. These locomotives are not generally employed, however,for the gathering of cars from the working faces of the 5 rooms ofmines, owing to the difiiculty and expense involved in the provision ofsuitable means for supplying current to the locomotives in these rooms.

Oneof the objects of my invention is the 3 construction of suitablemechanism carried by the locomotive for reeling and unreeling a flexibleconductor which is adapted to have one end connected to thecontroller-terminal and the other end to the trolley-wire or the 3 5like in the main entry or branch heading from which the room is anoffshoot.

My invention consists of certain features an elevation showing a portionof the reel 5 mechanism with parts brokenv away and in section. 4

In the drawings I have conventionally illustrated a mining-locomotive lequipped with a trolley 2, whicl is shown as held in an in- 55 operativeposition by a hook-3, a controller 4, a brake wheel 5, headlight 6,circuit breaker 7, and sand-box valve-levers 8. On the top of the.locomotive and at its front end is placed a cable-reel or winding device9.

Thdbable-rcl proper consists of a disk 10, which may be formed of woodor other suitable material, and has secured to it at its pcriphery oneend ofeach ofa plurality of curved metal bars 11. The other end of eachbar 11 is secured to ametal ring 12. The bars 11 are shaped to form acurved pulley-faeo,.upon which the cable 13 is wound, as is clearlyshown in the drawings. A metal bushing i l-passes centrally through thedisk 10, and by means 7 of it the disk 10 is swiveled about a tubularhub or boss 15,projecting fromadriving mem ber 16. The member 16 has anannular beau ing-surface 17, against which the under side of the disk 10rests. A friction-disk18,0ftiber or other suitable material, may besecured to the under side of the disk 10 in a position to bear againstthe surface 17 for a purpose hereinafter described. A tubular boss orhubQO, extending upward from a base or supportQl, secured to thelocomotive, forms a pivot upon which the member 16 is swivelcd. The baseor support 21 is also formed with an annularshaped bearing-surface 21;onwhich the driving member 16 rests. An annular friction 5 member 16, offibrous or other suitable ma- ,teriahmay be placed between the drivingmemher and the surface 21, as shown, for a purpose hereinafterdescribed. A bushing 22, which may be formed of wood or other suit ablematerial; is placed between the outer surface of the boss 20 and theinnersurface of the collar 15.

Bearings 23, 24, and 25 are formed in suitable bosses cr pillow-blockscarried by the base 9 5 21. \Vithin these hearings tubular sleeves ormembers 26 2728, respectively.arejmlrnalod.

A shaft 29 passes intcriorly through the memhers 26 27 28. This shaft isadapted to move longitudinally through the tubular members and to turnloosely in the members 27 and 28. The member 26, however, is splined tothe s raft. a series of sp rocket-teeth which cooperate with asprocket-chain 30, passing over a sprocketwheel 31, carried by one ofthe axles of the locomotive, to rotate the member 26, and through it theshaft 29, when the locomotive moves. The members 27 and 28 each carry attheir outerends-a set of flexible fingers 32.

Each set of these fingers forms one member.

of a coupling device. Disks 33 and 34, respectively, are provided ontheir inner sides with pockets 35, into which the lingers 32, carried bythe members 27 and 28, respectively, may alternately enter to make apositive coupling between the members 33 and 27 and 34 and 28, 'res'iectively. The disks 33 and 34, respectively, are journaled on collars36 l 37, which in turn are pinned to the shaft 29. The collars 36 and 37carry at theirouter ends flanges 38 and 39, respectively, whiclfpreventoutward movement of the disks 33 and 34. Plates 40 and 41, secured tothe outer faces of the disks 33 and 34, respectively, prevent movementin an inward direction of the disk.

The disks and 34 and the collars 36 and 37 are shaped to form annularchannels 42 and 43, which are clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.The flange 38 on the collar 36 is provided with a series of teeth 44,which project into the annular space 42. The periphery of the flangebetween adjacent teeth 44 is shaped to form curved pockets 45. of thesepockets a steel ball is placed.' The pockets 45 are so shaped that whenthe shaft 29 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig.4 the balls which move to the rear of the pocket do not have a workinge'ngagement with the disk 33; but when the shaft rotates in the oppositedirection the balls are wedged into the opposite end of the pocket andlock the disk 33 and the collar together.

The collar 39 differs from the collar 38 only I in the fact that thepockets are shaped so that a rotation of the shaft 29 in the directionindicated by the arrow in Fig. 4 will cause a locking engagement betweenthe disk 34 and the collar, while a rotation of the shaft in the o"posite direction will not cause a rotation of the disk 34.

As is clearly shown in Fig. 3, the collars 36 and 37 are positioned onthe shaft 29 so that only one of the tubularmembers 27 and 28 can beconnected to the shaft at one time. A pairof washers 46 are secured tothe shaft 29. A member 47, loosely mounted on the shaft 29 between thewashers46, has a projecting arm 48, which rests in a slot 49 in thesupport 21. A lever 50, pivoted at 51 to the support 21, having an innerupturned bifurrated end 50, the bifurcations of which straddle the arm48, forms a means for shifting The member 26 carries at its inner end Ineachthe arm 48 and through it the shaft 29. A bar 52, secured to theupper side of the locomotive, is formed with notches in which theprojecting end of the lever 50 may rest to hold the shaft 29 in theposition shown in Fig. 3 or in the position in which the memtermediatepositionl in which neither of the disks 33 or 34 engage coupling-fingers32. The inner ends of the tubular members 27 and 28 have secured to thembevel-gears 53 and 54, respectively, which mesh with bevelteeth formedon the under side or the member 16, so that a positive rotation ofeither of the members 27 and 28 will cause arotation of the member 16.

The inner end of the conductor 13 passes through the space existingbetween a pair of under side of the disk 10. At the inner end of thispocket the conductor is secured in place by a bolt 56, passing upwardthrough the disk 10. This bolt also secures in place one end of a springor finger 57, which may be formed of copper, brass, or the like. springor finger 57 and a plurality of similar springs or fingers 58, the outerends of'which are secured to the disk 10, carry at their inner ends asuitable contact plate or member 59, which may be formed of copper orother good conducting material. The undersurface head of a contactmember 60, formed of copper, brass, or the like, which is secured in andinsulated from the tubular boss 20. A conductor of cable 61 extends fromthe contact member to one of the terminals of the controller on thelocomotive.

Annular pieces of wood 62 are placed on the upper side of the disk 10 ina position to surround the springs 58 and contact mechanism. A disk 63,formed of suitable insulat upper annular member 62 and cooperatestherewith to inclose the contact mechanism.

Suitable guides 64 .and 65 are placed on top of the locomotive at thefront and rear, respectively, to receive the cable when it is paid outin one direction or the other.

Assuming that the-locomotive is traveling away from one of the mainpassages of the mine toward a room in the direction indicated by thearrow, Fig. 1, the outer ends of the cable 13 will be secured or fixedto the trolley- Wire or other conductor located in the main passage ofthe mine, as indicated at 66 in Figs. 1 and 2, and the lever 50 will beoperated to connect the disk 33 with the member 27. When so connected, arotation of the shaft 29, operated by the movement of the locomotiverotation of the member 27. As a'result the only thing resisting therotation of the re-l 9,

tion between the disk 10 and the'support 21,

her 28 is coupled to the disk 34 or in an inthe bars 11 into a pocket55, formed in the The in the" direction of the arrow, will not cause aas the locomotive moves along will be the fric-.

of the contact-plate 59 is held against the ing material, is placed onthe upper side of the and the parts-can be so proportioned and soconstructedthat this friction will be just sufli cient to give theproper amount of tension to the cable 18. As soon, however, as thelocomotive starts to move in the opposite direction from that indicatedby the arrow in Fig. 1 the member 27 will begin to rotate and will turnthe member 16 and the disk 10 in the proper direction to wind up thecable 13. In order to obtain the proper amount of tension on the-cable13 as it is being wound up, the member 16 is geared to have a speedsomewhat higher than would be necessary if the disk 10 and the member 16were to turn together. This difference in speed may be asmuch astwenty-five per cent. As a result of, this difference of speed aslipping takes place between the member 16 and the disk 10, and thetension on the cable 13 is regulated by the frictionresisting thisslipping between the member 16 and the disk 10. It will be observed thatthe frictional engagement beta 3'11 the member 16 and disk 10, whichregulates the tension on the cable 13 as it is being wound up, isconstant and not intermittent in action. The frictional engagement isgravity controlled, as it depends upon the weight of the disk 10 andparts carried thereby. This insures that the tension on the cable issubstantially constant during the winding-up operation and notintermittent or dependent upon the flexibility of the cable.

When it is desired to move'away from the fixed conductor in thedirection indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, in which case the oppositecnd of the locomotive is in advance from that in Fig. 1, the member 50should be 0perated to move the shaft 29 in such manner as,

- to cause an engagement between the fingers 32 and the sleeve 34. Whenso connected, the rotation of the shaft 29 produced by a movement of thelocomotive in a direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2 will have noeffect on the driving member 16, and the tension on the cable paid outwill be regulated by thefrictional resistance to the movement of thedisk 10. When, however, the locomotive starts in the opposite directionfrom that indicated. by the arrow in Fig. 2. the shaft 29 will rotatethe member 16in the direction to wind up the cable. It will be observedin this connection that the clutch-mechanisms are arranged to cause arotation of the member 16 in one direction onlynamely, the directionnecessary to give a winding movement to the disk 10.

Preferably the parts are so proportioned that the frictional forcestending to prevent slippage between the support 21 and the member 16 areabout balanced by the frictional forces-tending to prevent relativemovement between the member 16 and the disk 10. This is due to the factthat the frictional forces tending to prevent relative movement betweenthe support 21 and the member 16 must beat least great enough to insurea proper tension on the flexible member when it is being unwound, andany excess of such frictionaTl forces requires an unnecessary waste ofpower in winding the cable up. The friction members 18 and 21 and thebushing 22 are employed to insure constant coefficients of frictionbetween the various members. These parts are preferably made of fibrousmaterial, as the necessity for lubrication, which tends to alter thefrictional relations between the parts, is thereby avoided. -By thisconstruction a proper amount of tension is put upon the cable both onthe paying out and winding up of the cable, and as the lever 50 is setto the proper position while starting into the room the motorman needpay no further attention to the cable-reeling mechanism upon startingback, since the mechanism takes care of itself automatically. It willof'course be understood that with the construction described the railson which I are intended to bethe return-conductor of the system. This,however, is not an objectionable feature, since in practically all minesin which locomotives are employed iron or steel rails are now used.instead of the wooden rails formerly inuse. When, however, mycablereelis to be employed upon a vehicle which does not use a ground or railreturn, only slight modifications'in the construction described arenecessary to adaptit for the simultaneous manipulation of two or moreconductors.

While I have described the best form of my invention'which is now knownto me, it is obvious that modifications in construction and arrangementmay be madein the form of my invention without departing from the spiritthereof.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States,-is

1. In combination, a movable vehicle, a winding device carriedthereby,aflexible member having one end connected to the winding deviceand the other one secured at a fixed point, a driving memberfrictionally connected to said reel, means for causing a positiverotation of said driving member when the vehiclesnoves in apredetermined direction, and a frictional device resisting the movementof the driving member when the vehicle moves in the oppositedirectiona2. In combination, a support, a driving member swiveled thereon,frictional means tending to prevent relative movement of the support anddriving member, a winding member also swiveled on said support, andfrictional means tending to prevent relative move ment between thewinding member and the. driving member.

3. In combination, a movable vehicle, areel or winding device carriedthereby, said reel or winding device comprising a supportfixed to thevehicle, a shaft mounted insaid support,

the locomotive runs Ice means for causing a movement of the vehicle torotate the shaft, a driving member mounted on said support, a windingmember also mounted on said support, frictional connections between saidsupport and said driving member and between said driv-ing member andsaid windingmember, and means by which a movement of the shaft in eitherdirection can be made to causea rotation of the driving member in asingle direction.

4. In a device for winding up and unwinding a flexible conductor, a reelor winding member, a support upon which said reel or winding member isrotatably mounted, a contact or terminal carried by said support, aplurality of spring-fingers carried by said winding member, a contactplate or member pressed against said contact device by said flexiblefingers, and means for electrically connecting one end of the flexibleconductor with said contact plate or member.

5. In combination, a vehicle, a winding device carried th'ereby,gearingconnecting one of the axles of the vehicle with the winding device, andmeans for changing said gearing so that a predetermined movement of thevehicle in either direction will cause a winding movement of the windingdevice.

6. In combinatioma vehicle moving toward or away from a fixed point, areel carried by the vehicle, a flexible conductor having one endattached to the reel'and the other at the fixed point, a driving memberin frictional engagement with the reel, means for operating the drivingmember when the vehicle moves toward the fixed point, and frictionalmeans resisting the movement of the driving member in the oppositedirection.

7. In combination, a vehicle, a reel carried thereby, a flexibleconductor having one end secured to the reel and the other end adaptedto be secured to a fixed conductor, a driving member in frictionalengagement with the reel, and means for operating said driving memberwhen the vehicle moves toward the point at which the end of theconductor is secured,'the direction of movement of said driving memberbeing independent of which end of the vehicle is pointed toward thepointat which the end of the conductor is secured.

8. In combination, a pivoted cable-reel provided with a bearing-surface,a driving member pivoted concentrically with said reel'and having abearing-surface in frictional engagement with the bearing-surface of thereel, a support on which the mounted,- means for producing a compara:tively large amount of friction between the driving member and thesupport, a shaft, and mean's for connecting the shaft oil the 'drivingmember so 'that a rotation of the shaft in one direction will cause arotation of the driving member while a rotation of the shaft intheopposite direction will not cau e-a rotation of the driving member.

driving member is 9. In combination,asupport,adrivingmember pivotedthereon, means for producing a comparatively large amount of frictiontween the support and the driving member, a pivotally-mounted reel infrictional engagement with said driving member, and a cable having oneend secured to said reel and the other end secured to a [ixed support.

10. In combination, a movable vehicle, a cable-reel carried thereby, aflexible conductor on said reel, means for securing the outer end ofsaid conductor to a fixed conductor, and means independent of theflexibility of the flexible conductor and operated by the vehicle forrotating the reel when the vehicle moves toward the fixed conductor,said means tending to run the reel at a higher rate of speed than isnecessary to wind up the flexible conductor.

11. In combination, a movable vehicle, a reel carried thereby. aflexible conductor on said reel, the outer end of which is adapted to besecured at a point, the cable being wound up or unwound as the vehiclemoves toward or away from the point, a driving device frictionallycoupled to the reel, and means for operating said reel to cause thecable to be wound up as the vehicle moves toward the point, said meansworking at a speed which tends to turn the reel faster than is necessaryto wind up the cable, and mechanism for preventing movement of thedriving member when the vehicle moves in the oppositedirection whereby asubstantially constan t tension is maintained on the flexible c mductqrwhen winding up and unwinding it.

12. Incombination, a movable vehicle, a winding device carried thereby,and means by I which a movement of the vehicle can be made to drive thewinding device, said means including a clutch mechanism having twooperative positions, said clutch mechanism op erating in one of saidoperative positions to cause movement of the vehicle in one directiononly to exert a driving force on the driving device and in the otheroperative position to cause a movement of the vehicle in the oppositedirection only to exert a driving force on the winding device. I

13. In combination, a movable vehicle, a winding device carried thereby,and means by which a movement of the vehicle can be made to drive thewinding device, said means including a clutch mechanism having twooperative positions, said clutch mechanism operating in one of saidoperative positions to cause a movement of the vehicle in one directiononly to exert a driving force on the driving device and in theother'operative position to cause a movement of the vehicle'in theopposite direction only to exert a driving force on the windingdevice,the driving force in each case tending to'operate the winding device inthe same direction.

14 In combination, asupport svided with 7 a driving member journaled onsaid an annular bearing-surface and a cylindrical boss, a driving memberjournaled on said boss and resting against said bearing-surface, saiddriving member being also provided with an annular bearing-surface, anda winding member pivoted concentrically with aid driving device andresting on the bearing-surface of first-mentioned contact device.

7 16. In combination, a winding member, a driving member, alternatelyoperative clutch devices, and means connecting the clutch devices andthe driving device tocause a rotation of the shaft so that when one ofthe clutch devices is operative a rotation of the shaft in one directiononly will operate the driving member, the other clutch device whenoperative-being arranged to cause a mgyement of the shaft in theopposite direction only to operate the driving member.

17. In combination, a rotatable shaft, a movable member, a pair ofclutch devices, means for moving the shaft longitudinally to cause oneor the other of the clutch devices to engage the driving member, one ofsaid clutch evices being so arranged that when in the engaging positiona movement of the shaft in one directionwill cause a movement of thedriving member and a'mo'vement of the shaft in the other will not causea movement of the driving member, the other of said clutch de; vices'bein'g so arrangedthat when in the engaging position a movement of theshaft in the opposite direction will cause a movement of the drivingmember.

18. In combination, asupport provided with a vertical boss, a horizontalbearing-surface, boss and resting against said bearing-surface, arotatable horizontal shaft journaled in said support and arranged tohavelongitudinal movement, a pair of sleeves mou nted on said shaft,gearing connecting said sleeves and said driving member, and a means forconnecting one or the other of said sleeves with the shaft as the shaftis moved from one longitudinal position to another longitudinalposition.

19. In combination, a support, a driving member mounted on said support,frictional means tending to a winding member, frictional means tendingto prevent relative movement of the winding a shaft member, a pairofprevent relative movement. between the driving member and the suport,-

. direction to wind up member and the driving number, a shaft, andpositive means for causing a rotation of the shaft in a predetermineddirection to move the driving member, said means being inoperative tolimit the movement of the driving member when the shaft rotates in theopposite direction.

20. In combination, a winding member, a driving member, a frictionalconnection between the two, positive means for causing a movement of thedriving member in one direction, and frictional means resisting themovement of the driving member in the opposite direction. p

21. In combination, a movable vehicle, a reel carried thereby, aflexible member having one end fixed and the other one secured to thereel, means for driving the reel in the the flexible member when thevehicle moves in one direction, said means tending to rotate the reelfaster than is necessary to wind up the flexible member, and africtional connection between said means and said reel..-

22. In combination, a movable vehicle a, reel carried thereby, 'aflexible member having one end fixed and the other one secured to thereel, means for driving the reel in the direction to wind up theflexible member when the vehicle moves in on e direction, said meanstending to rotate the reel faster than is neces sary to wind up theflexible member, a frictional connection between said means and saidreel, and frictional means tending to prevent .winding device, and

a movement of the driving means when the vehicle moves in the oppositedirection.

23. In. combination, a movable vehicle, a reel carried thereby, aflexible'member having one end secured to the reel and the otheronefixed at a point, a driving member for the reel, and means for movingit with a speed proportional to the speed of the vehicle as the vehiclemoves toward the point at which the flexible member is secured, saiddriving means being arranged to drive the reel at a higher rate of speedthan is necessary to wind up theflexible' member, and aconstantly-active frictional connection between the driving member andthe reel to allow the necessary slippage between the driving member andthe reel and to regulate the tension'oh a flexible member. 24. Incombination, a vehicle, a winding device carried thereby, gearing bymeans of which a movement of the vehicle can be caused to operate thewinding device, and means for changing said gearing so thata'predeter-mined movement of the vehicle in either direction will causea winding movement of the winding device.

25. In'combination, a vehicle, a winding device carried thereby, meansby which a movement of the vehicle can be made to operate the mechanismfor altering movement of the vehicle irection will cause a windsaidmeans so that a m a predetermined d ing movement of the winding devicewhile the movement ofthe vehicle in the opposite direction will notcause a movement of the winding device.

26. In combination, a movable vehicle, a winding device carried by thevehicle, adrivingmember for operating the winding device, means foroperating the driving member when the vehicle moves in a predetermineddirection, and means resisting the movement of the driving member whenthe vehicle moves in the opposite direction.

27. In combination, a movable vehicle, a windingdevice carriedthereby,aflexiblemember wound and unwound by said winding de' vice,means tending to operate the winding device at ahigher speed than isnecessary to wind up the flexible member as the vehicle moves, and aconstantly-active frictional operating engagement between the windingdevice and its operating means.

28. In combination. a movable vehicle, a winding device carried thereby,a flexible member wound up by said winding device as the vehicle moves,and means tending to operate the winding device at ahigher speed than isnecessary to wind up the flexible member, said means and winding devicebeing so connected that a slippage may take place between them whichwill insure a proper speed of the winding device, said slippage beingindependent of the flexibility of the flexible member.

" 29. In combination, a movable vehicle, a

winding device carried thereby, a flexible member on said windingdevice, means operated by the movement ofthe vehicle tending to rotatesaid winding device faster than necessary to wind up the flexiblemember, and a connection allowing a slippage between said operatingmeans and said winding device, said connection being independent of thetension of the flexible member.

30. In combination, a movable vehicle, a winding device carried thereby,aflexible conductor on said winding device, means for securing the outerend of said conductor to a fixed conductor, and means tending to operatethe Winding device at a higner rate of speed than is necessary to windup the flexible conductor when the vehicle moves toward the 5 fixedconductor, said means comprising a frictional clutch, the members ofwhich are forced together with a pressure which is independent of thetension of the conductor.

31. In combination. a movable vehicle, a driving member having africtionsurface mounted on said vehicle,a winding-reel having afriction-surface engaging with the frictionsurface of said drivingmember, the weight of said winding-reel being carried by the drivingmember, and means for driving the driving member at a speed higher thanthat is necessary to wind up the conductor.

32. In combination, a movable vehicle, a winding device carriedthereby,a flexible con- 5 doctor on said winding device, means forsecuring the free end of said conductor to a fixed conductor, and meanstending to run the reel faster than necessary to wind up the con ductorwhen the vehicle moves toward the 7 fixed conductor, saidmeanscomprising a friction-clutch, the members of which are held together bya substantially unvarying force which allows the slippage necessary toinsure\ a proper feed of the flexible conductor. 15

33. In combination, a movable vehicle, a winding device carried thereby,a flexible con- .ductor having one end secured to said winding device,means for securing the other end of said conductor to a fixed conductor.andmeans 8O tending to operate the winding device at a higher rate ofspeed than is necessary to wind up the flexible conductor when thevehicle moves toward the fixed conductor, said means comprising a pairof members constantly held 5 in frictional engagement with each otherdur 'ing said movement of the vehicle.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of May,1903.

CARL W. LARSON.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN ORroi'u).

